EDITORIAL. 305 



for the continuance of studies undertaken several years ago of th« 

 methods of clearing logged-off lands, the testing of powders in clear- 

 ing them, and the utilization of the by-products, $5,000 being granted 

 for the work. To investigate potato breeding and sugar-beet seed 

 production for irrigated lands, a special appropriation of $10,000 

 was made. 



Great interest was also evinced by Congress in those phases of the 

 Department's work dealing with farm management, and there was 

 evident approval of efforts to extend to the country as a whole prac- 

 tical demonstrations of improved methods of farming. The well- 

 known work inaugurated by the late Dr. S. A. I^app in the South 

 was continued with an appropriation of $332,960, and its scope was 

 so broadened that in future the entire cooperative demonstration 

 enterprises of the Bureau in the South may be conducted under its 

 auspices. In addition, appropriations were made aggregating $300,000 

 to " investigate and encourage the adoption of improved methods of 

 farm management and farm practice and for farm demonstration 

 work." This appropriation is under the administration of the Oflfice 

 of Farm Management of the Bureau, and will more than double the 

 funds at its disposal. It is announced that a portion of this large 

 increase will be utilized in the extension and development of the 

 investigation work of the Office, which is now covering a wide range 

 of activity. The act itself provides that $10,000 may be used in the 

 investigation and utilization of cacti and other dry-land plants as 

 food for stock, and other projects already under way or contemplated 

 include the collection of data pertaining to the cost of various farm 

 operations, the carrying on of farm surveys, the relation of climate 

 to various farm enterprises, the effect of various types of farming 

 on the maintenance of soil fertility, etc. 



In the main, however, opportunity will be afforded to extend the 

 demonstration phases of the work and thereby to establish closer 

 relations with the individual farmer than ever before. Already, as 

 is generally known, the Office has a well-developed system of organi- 

 zation, in which a State or group of States constitutes an adminis- 

 trative unit or district, in charge of an expert familiar with its needs 

 in a broad way. In many cases cooperation with the agricultural 

 colleges and experiment stations, county organizations, boards of 

 trade and other commercial bodies, and many other agencies has per- 

 mitted of niunerous smaller divisions. The county unit has been 

 established in several instances and has been found especially effective 

 because of the opportunity for personal acquaintance and close famil- 

 iarity with local conditions. Obviously little more than a beginning 

 toward so detailed an organization as this can be expected, even with 

 the enlarged appropriation, but the extension which will be possible 



